Widespread destruction in Azad Kashmir; Minister, Lady Judge Killed
Pakistan Times Staff Report

MUZAFFARABAD (AJK): The devastating earthquake which hit AJK/Pakistan this morning caused huge human and material losses especially in Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Bagh and hill slopes settlements throughout Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

]Thousands have been trapped in collapsed buildings/structures especially in Upper Plate, Madina Market, Sarthara, Jalalabagh, Sangri Maira, Garhi Dopatta, Reshian, Chikar, Dunah Kichili, Hattian, Pir Chinasi, Barian, Upper Neelum Valley in Muzaffarabad. The city continues receiving quake jolts after pauses.

The quake shocks forced houses inmates to flee to safe open sites with infants screaming and mothers weeping holding their dear ones in their arms. Streets and open spaces were resounding with the chants of Kalama-e-Tayyaba and Allah-o-Akbar.

An unconfirmed report says a minister died in house collapse in Muzaffarabad. In the district courts buildings collapse several inmates including a female judge are reported killed in Muzaffarabad. Rescue operations in all accessible areas have been mounted by civil authorities and armed forces jointly. However such operations are hampered by broken land routes/roads.

Thousands others are trapped in houses collapse in Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot and Bagh districts, press secretary to AJK prime minister Sardar Khaliq Wassi told Pakistan Observer on telephone this afternoon. Recovery works are undergoing on all emergency basis. Dozens of seriously injured have flown by army choppers to Rawalpindi CMH.

The Azad Kashmir President Sardar Muhammad Anwar Khan and Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan flew early morning from Islamabad to quake hit Muzaffarabad capital city and undertook an aerial view of the quake devastation there.

Upper and Lower Plates, the Madina Market, Tariqabad and Jalalabagh areas of Muzaffarabad capital city are reported worst hit zones. Similarly Rawalakot Proper is reported severely affected. The quake has left Muzaffarabad-Kohala 22-mile road and other slopes links disrupted at several points as yawning cracks on road made vehicular traffic unplyable. At some points the Kohala road is reported slid into the river Jhelum.

According to early reports the wife and two children of Commissioner Muzaffarabad division, Sardar Muhammad Rahim are trapped under the debris of their collapsed house at Jalalabagh officers’ colony. Secretary Transport Kh Hamid Zia’s daughter is also reported trapped in their own fallen house in the same locality. The Jinnah Complex, CHM area, Poday Mar tops are other affected sites in the city.

Similarly in Bagh district the areas of Dhirkote, Rangla, Neela Butt, Makhiyala etc. are also reported hit by the killer quake.

After his aerial survey of the devastated sites the AJK premier Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan has appealed to the Federal government and the Pakistan Army for relief assistance especially for provision of helicopter services as the land routes stand disrupted by the doomsday quake.

High-rise official buildings and private multi-storeyed structures have developed dangerous cracks making them unusable for the time being. Reportedly 10 girl students are killed in their hostel collapse in the city, Kashmir House sources told Pakistan's first independent daily E-newspaper, 'Pakistan Times'.

However the exact number is yet to be ascertained by the authorities. The building of the President House in Muzaffarabad has been severely affected by the earthquake, reports said.

Meanwhile the AJK President Sardar M. Anwar and Prime Minister Sardar Sikander Hayat Khan in their separate appeals asked the people to be patient at this trying hour and urged the well-to-do to move forward to help their needy brethren. Both the leaders sympathised with the affected people and offered condolences over the tragic deaths in the earthquake in AJK and in Pakistan.

Latest reports confirm the collapse of old building of AJK university. The Neelum View hotel at the eastern bank of the river Neelum near Red Fort in the city has also been swept into the river.

Reports from far-flung areas say that worst devastation occurred when down came kutcha houses in thousands in areas like Hajira, a township near the Line of Control in Rawalakot district.

Abbaspur is also reported worst affected. Similar damage reports are coming in from other parts of the liberated territory like Kotli, Fatehpur, Rajdhani, Samani and Iftikharabad. Some buildings on the slopes of Azadpattan, Laghori, Kalakote, Sehr, Desah, Churun, Rakar, Trarkhel and Khadgujran have fallen down by the quake.

The human and material damage reports are being collected from all over AJK territory, chiefly mountainous and stream and river-cuts offering inhospitable access to transport and human hands.

In AJK village settlements are almost 98 percent masonry works of stones plus kneaded muds with tin sheets coverings as roofs. In the Upper Neelum Valley the houses are usually made of timber but damage report from this and the Leepa Valley are still awaited as wire communications are choked at some stations/places. However rescue workers including the paramedics, army jawans have been committed to the rescue operations.●